


Subversive

by Lionesskeeper



Series: Perierat, et inventus est [1]
Category: Mary Russell - Laurie R. King, Sherlock (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Modern Era Mary Russell, Pre-Relationship, Pre-Series, Pre-Series 3, Slow Burn, very slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-08 06:06:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10380132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lionesskeeper/pseuds/Lionesskeeper
Summary: Molly introduces a new work colleague her friend. But is there more to this friend than meets the eye.





	1. Prologue

Mycroft Holmes entered the cell.

Sitting on the ground was a young girl, barely fifteen. She didn't speak to him, looking at the ground.

'Ms. Russell, what am I going to do with you' he said with a sigh. She looked up at him and just glared at him for a moment before breaking down crying.

Knowing that the game was up, she was wanted by both the law and the criminal community. She wanted to get out of that life she had built up around her. Regaining her composure, she looked up at him.

'I want a new life, Mr. Holmes' she told him.

This girl was quite remarkable; she had an intelligence and sentiment that would match his twenty-three year old brother Sherlock. In a sense, they were equals.

It was strange, but when he looked at her he saw Sherlock. As flawed and all as Sherlock was at the moment, what with his penchant for drug use and his insistence on solving any mysteries that had occurred on his college campus and the constant sniping between them, he was still a good man underneath it all.

For the first, and perhaps the only time in his life, he took pity on a complete stranger.


	2. Thirteen Years Later

Mary was working in the lab that day, Anderson wouldn't admit it to say that he had another body on his hands to which he couldn't determine a cause of death for, and he was relying on her. He would also never admit that he missed Sherlock Holmes' deductions; she was now all that he had. Her skill in observation rivalled the late Mr. Holmes; however their paths never crossed directly while he was alive. She only observed his method once, at the Thames shore when she was called in to fill in for a friend who worked in forensics; she had deduced exactly same cause of death. But she kept quiet; she couldn't risk her safety just to prove she was clever.

Mary was waiting for her close friend and work colleague for Molly Hooper who was working with her on that shift. Molly had told her that a new part time doctor would be joining them for a while. Molly was left in charge of induction. It was in Molly's nature to help strangers. Mary admired that quality in her friend. She heard the door open and close behind her. She continued working at the paperwork that was on her desk.

'Mary' she heard Molly say. She looked up from her work and noted that she was clearly nervous. Standing close behind Molly was a man in his thirties, hair dyed recently, with some stubble on his face, he wore glasses. Clothes obviously not ones he would be used to. He also wore a lab coat.

'This is Dr. Arthur Bell, he's going to be joining us here Mary.' Molly told her adding 'Arthur, I'll like you to meet Mary King' Molly told him. He put out his hand for to shake hers, she reciprocated.

'Tell me Dr. Bell, do you perform in a group or play just for fun' she asked him.

'Excuse me?' he replied rather bemused.

'Your hands, in particular your fingers. They have calluses on them, suggesting to me that you like to play a stringed instrument, a guitar, violin, cello or other stringed instrument...'

'Ahem, Mary you said you wouldn't ' said Molly.

'Oh right, sorry' she said rather embarrassed feeling her cheeks starting to go crimson adding 'Molly, if you don't mind I have to get back to work. Dr Bell, it was nice to meet you, and sorry again for that. Force of habit, I'm afraid'

Molly turned and left calling Dr. Bell. Bell went to leave, but took a few steps back to Mary.

'It's the violin by the way' he said to Mary before Molly called him again. She grinned at him, he grinned back before he left yet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this fanfic, I go by the understanding that Holmes has already turned thirty-six on the sixth of January. This date has been argued to be the date of Sherlock Holmes' birthday in the original stories.


	3. Thirteen Years Later: Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the repetition with some of this, it's from another character's POV.

'Ok, let me take one last look at you before we do this' Molly Hooper said as she quickly scanned over her friend's clothes.

'Molly, the clothes are ok. I have been in disguise before today' Sherlock Holmes told his friend.

'Yeah, well you can't exactly go in dressed as you. Besides, if I recall you were the one who begged me for lab access again. I only agreed so that you would stop terrorising Toby in your boredom' Molly told him. Sherlock rolled his eyes at this.

'Why such an elaborate disguise though?' Sherlock asked.

'She's unlike the others around here Sherlock. She reminds me almost of you.' Molly said.

Sherlock looked at her with a look as if to say that he severely doubted that.

She stopped and felt her cheeks redden up and cleared her throat.

'I'll go first, keep quiet until I introduce you' she told him.

Molly pushed the door open, Sherlock followed close behind, the door closed behind them. There was a woman sitting at one of the lab workstations testing samples and working at the paperwork that accompanied it. She was dressed in plain blouse and suit trousers and a pair of flat shoes. She had her hair tied back and had a pair of magnifying glasses in her hair held on the head like sunglasses.

'Mary' he heard Molly say. She looked up from her work and he noted that she was clearly nervous. Sherlock stood close behind Molly. The clothes she had him wear were uncomfortable, he found himself unconsciously adjusting small aspects of his disguise. 'This is Dr. Arthur Bell, he's going to be joining us here Mary.' He heard Molly tell her adding 'Arthur, I'll like you to meet Mary King' Molly told him.

He put out his hand for to shake hers, she reciprocated.

'Tell me Dr. Bell, do you perform in a group or play just for fun' she asked him.

'Excuse me?' he replied rather bemused.

'Your hands, in particular your fingers. They have calluses on them, suggesting to me that you like to play a stringed instrument, a guitar, violin, cello or other stringed instrument...'

'Ahem, Mary you said you wouldn't ' said Molly.

'Oh right, sorry' she said rather embarrassed, her cheeks starting to go a pinkish hue before adding 'Molly, if you don't mind I have to get back to work. Dr Bell, it was nice to meet you, and sorry again for that. Force of habit, I'm afraid ' He just stared at her part shocked, part bemused.

What snapped him back to reality was Molly calling him to leave with her. Sherlock turned to leave, but took a few steps back to Mary.

'It's the violin by the way' he said to Mary before Molly called him again. She grinned at him, he grinned back before he left yet again.

'Was anything the matter, Sherlock?' Molly asked him when he had joined her finally in the hallway outside the lab.

'No, nothing' he replied adding 'Mary rather intrigues me, she seems familiar somehow. '

'What? That she reminds you of you' Molly quipped smiling cheekily.

Sherlock shot her a look and nervous Molly returned in that instance.

'B-but this is the first time the two of you met, isn't it?' Molly asked tentatively.

'It would seem so' Sherlock pensively replied.

An uncomfortable silence descended on the two for a moment before Sherlock spoke again sighing.

'I suppose though Molly Hooper, I shall think of where I have seen your colleague at another time'

Molly smiled to herself as they both made their way down the corridor. Having Sherlock around all the time at her work was going to go ok after all.


	4. Pulling Back the Veil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the repetition with some of this, some of this is from another character's POV, then it changes to a third person POV.

 

Mary entered the canteen in work. She was not having a good day, she was just after being shouted down by Anderson who had taken umbrage at the fact that she pointed out something that he had missed in his report to Lestrade. And when Lestrade complimented her on the good job she did on doing it, it just made matters worse. Anderson started to rant at her calling her every name under the sun, eventually telling her to focus on her own job rather than doing the jobs of others and walking off. She had to stop herself from punching him in the face. Donovan wasn't much better to face although she was a bit more consoling to her at first, well before she started on about warning her again about the dangers of showing off and citing Sherlock Holmes as her one and only example of the follies of doing such. Mary never quite believed what had been said about Sherlock, however mouthing off to Donovan and showing her intelligence was not something she was willing to do. Proving that she was clever was the exact reason why she was in the situation that she was in.

She spotted Arthur Bell and Molly Hooper sitting at one of the tables. Molly waved at her and beckoned for her to come over to their table. Mary's frown turned quickly to a smile and she walked over to them.

"Hello you two" she greeted. Molly and Arthur smiled at her.

"Tough morning?" Molly asked her.

"You have no idea. Anderson is being a bit annoying today. He's being a bit tetchy over being suspended. It comes into effect at the end of the week." Mary told him.

"What happened that he got suspended?" Arthur asked her.

"Well, Greg Lestrade filled me in on what happened. Apparently he took the death of Sherlock Holmes a bit hard. He really didn't expect Holmes to commit suicide. He started thinking up theories; I hear that he has even set up a group of like minded nutters." Mary told him.

"Nutters?" Arthur questioned.

"Well yeah. I mean when you think of it. I mean, I personally think he would not give up on life quite as easily as just flinging himself off the top of this building. I've read his cases on his website. He had a similar thought process to how my own was, before everything" Mary replied before zoning out in her own thoughts.

"Before everything?" Arthur asked her.

"It doesn't matter" Molly replied quickly.

"Yes, it doesn't matter. Forget I said that. Thank you Molly" Mary repeated sharply breaking out of her daydream.

Arthur looked at her rather suspiciously before he looked away and continued to eat.

They finished off lunch in silence before departing each other's company.

"What happened to her?" Sherlock asked Molly when they were alone.

"Nothing, well when I say nothing there is something. But she swore me to secrecy and as her friend I'm not going to say what it is. "Molly told him.

"You knew her and you wouldn't tell me" he said annoyed.

"It's between me and her. She trusted me" Molly replied.

"Oh, come on Molly, you can tell me" Sherlock purred.

"Not this time Sherlock, she's one of my closest friends" Molly replied.

"Fine" he replied petulantly.

Sherlock grabbed his phone.

In the halls of the Diogenes Club, sitting in thought in one of the chairs sat Mycroft Holmes.

He snapped out of his reverie when he heard this phone go off.

The number he had given to his brother after everything that had happened at Bart's.

There was no guarantee that his brother would stay in England for long, but for the time being, he was staying at home. Mycroft was secretly glad of that, although he would never say that to his brother's face.

"Ah, hello Arthur, to what do I owe the pleasure of the phone call" Mycroft asked him.

"I need you to find out something for me" Sherlock told him.

"What is it?" Mycroft replied with a sigh.

"I need to find out all you can about Mary King' he told his brother.

Mycroft knew the name well; he had suggested it to the person who had it. It was the one Mary Russell liked and decided to be called by to protect her real identity.

He had to protect her from him. But he couldn't refuse his brother; if he did he would arouse his suspicion.

"I'll see what I can find. " he replied before disconnecting the call.

He rang Anthea.

"Anthea, could you please ring St Bart's hospital and get through to Mary King for me. Just tell her that I will be over in the next half hour" he told her.

"Yes Mr Holmes" replied Anthea.

Mary was in the lab when she heard the phone ring.

"Hello" she replied.

"Hello Ms. King. It's Anthea from Mr. Holmes' office. I am just ringing to inform you that he is coming over to see you in the next half an hour. Have your mobile with you so he can tell you where you are to meet him" Anthea told her.

"Ok, thank you" Mary replied before putting down the phone.

Mary continued with her work that half an hour. However both Molly and Sherlock noticed that she was a little preoccupied. She had her mobile with her, which was unusual.

When it went off, Sherlock had noticed that she had paled a bit before giving her apologies to Molly and him before going out.

She walked out into the hallway and made her way to an empty office.

Sherlock followed a bit behind, much to the dismay of Molly.

When Sherlock peered in the window of the office for a moment, he saw Mary and his brother talking, he put his ear to the door to listen in on their conversation.

"It's good to see you Mycroft, it's been a while" she said.

"It certainly has. How is pathology suiting you?" Mycroft asked her.

"Well, you were right as usual. It did suit my...talents" she replied.

"I thought that it would." he replied with a smirk, she reciprocated.

"Now I must ask Mycroft, what brings you here?" Mary asked him.

"You have been a good girl Mary. Not getting yourself into trouble, yes. There was a couple of instances of you hacking systems but you never did it maliciously it was seem" Mycroft told her.

"Just keeping myself tuned up. Don't want to be rusty if ever you need me" she reassured him.

"I certainly hope that that was all you were doing" Mycroft replied suspiciously.

"What are you talking about Mycroft?" she replied rather irritated.

"My...someone who works for us has taken a bit of notice of you" he told.

"Oh you mean, your brother" she replied flippantly.

He looked at her rather surprised.

"Oh come on Mr. Holmes, I'm not an idiot." Mary replied.

"How did you guess?" Mycroft replied rather bemused.

"I'm not stupid, Mr. Holmes. And I say that now to the two of you" Mary told him.

"What are you talking about?" Mycroft replied irritated.

"Ooh, you're slipping a bit. Your dear brother is outside the door of this room. Couldn't you tell?" she teased.

At that moment, Sherlock walked in.

The gait that he had acquired when playing the part of Arthur Bell was gone. His soft expression replaced by the steely clinical look that the great detective was so well known for. All that was left of Arthur was the hair and the clothes. The rest was pure Holmes.

He did not take his eyes off her as he entered the room and made his way over to her side before looking straight at his brother.

"Well, I think I need an explanation Mycroft" Sherlock told him.

"And that is my cue. Goodbye Mr. Holmes" she said.

"And who are you directing that to ?" Mycroft asked her.

"What?!" Sherlock exclaimed.

"To both of you" Mary replied adding "Now if you both excuse me, I have to tell Molly that you know".

"Who is she Mycroft? One of your spies" Sherlock said angrily.

"She is nothing of the sort William Sherlock Scott Holmes, and I would like you to always remember that" Mycroft replied firmly.

"Oooh, sentiment. You care for this young woman." Sherlock replied.

"Watch your tongue" Mycroft replied.

"Who is she Mycroft?" Sherlock asked.

"Do you remember me telling you one the case which happened while you were still in college, the one which involved a hacker who had managed to breach some of our most unique codes? We would change them, but every time that person would figure it out. We decided to track that person down, but every time they would give us the slip. Until one time she got cocky and we caught her" Mycroft told him.

"So why didn't you just have her shot. Isn't that what you government types do eliminate a threat?" Sherlock replied.

"She was fifteen at the time dear brother. That would have been inhumane." Mycroft told him.

"So, you broke her." Sherlock replied.

"She asked for my help." Mycroft told him.

"And you gave it to her willingly, why?" Sherlock said pressing him further.

"Because she reminded me of you, dear brother. If you must know, I think of her as a sister" Mycroft told him.

"She's not that important" Sherlock said trying to hide the sense of jealousy which was bubbling up inside of him.

"Sherlock, she is just as important to me as you are. I will only ask you to do one thing for me before you make rash decisions about her" Mycroft told him.

"What?" Sherlock replied gruffly.

"Help her. She doesn't know it yet but I have e-mailed her the bits of information that I have managed to piece together regarding Moriarty's criminal organisation." he told his brother.

"I'll see, goodbye brother" Sherlock replied and walked out of the room.

Mary smiled at Molly as she re-entered the room.

"Well, he knows" she said with a sigh.

"What? Oh my goodness, Mary I did not tell him. He followed you out" Molly replied trying to explain.

"Shh, I know Molly. It's ok. If you wouldn't mind though, I would like to go home. Don't tell Sherlock, sorry Arthur" she told Molly with a wink. With that she left.

Sherlock re-entered the lab and scanned the room.

"Is Mary here?" he said matter of factly.

He got no reply from Molly, however her face read of hurt and betrayal. He watched as she made her way over to him. She slapped him in the face.

Sherlock nearly fell over in shock before looking back at her for an explanation.

"She was my friend Sherlock Holmes" Molly told him in an angry whisper.

"Well, she won't be missed" Sherlock replied flippantly.

Sherlock didn't see the second slap coming.

"No, you listen to me Sherlock. She is my best friend in the world. She would listen to me whenever I got frustrated with..." she trailed off.

"With what?" Sherlock replied angrily.

"With you. You brilliant infuriating man. She never judged me, always made time for me and backed me up and in return I kept her secret. And now you might have caused her to run. All because you cannot stop yourself from investigating" she told him angrily. She stormed out and left him there speechless. It was the first time she had ever been like that with him. He realised that he may have crossed a line.

The day went quickly after that. They didn't speak on the cab ride home after their shift ended.

A couple of times on the way home he looked over at her. She had a worried look on her face.

When they got to Molly's flat, Molly went straight to her room and slammed the door behind her. Leaving a slightly shocked Sherlock agape in the living room.

Early the next morning a knock came to the door of Molly's flat. Mary was there in front of her when she opened it.

"Hi Molly" Mary said with a smile.

"Hi Mary, would you like to come in" Molly replied.

Mary nodded and Molly gestured for her to come in.

"I just want you to know, I didn't tell him anything. He found out himself" Molly told her.

"I know Molly, you don't have to keep explaining." she said with a smile.

"Well I thought that you would be moving on now, y'know after he found out" Molly told her.

"Molly, that's not going to happen, you're my best friend. I couldn't throw away something like that. When I first started working in Bart's you were the only one who would talk to me. Everyone else thought I was a freak." Mary told her.

"Anderson was mean that time telling everyone that" Molly replied.

"Thank goodness he's leaving" she giggled.

Molly joined in. "Mary, that's mean"

"I'm sorry, I just have kept that side of me locked up so long, it's good to let it out just a bit at times" she told her friend.

"Well the last time you let that side out you made Anderson dislike you." Molly replied.

"Well how was I to know that he was having an affair with Donavan, I had only just started" Mary responded.

"Still, it was rather funny, I'll admit" Molly said.

"Molly Hooper I never knew you to be that evil" the both heard Sherlock say.

Molly scowled. Mary giggled at her friend's reaction though which caused Molly to start giggling also.

Sherlock walked over to them both.

"Mary, I am sorry for eavesdropping on your conversation with my brother." Sherlock told her.

"It's ok, really." she replied.

Then he turned his attention to Molly who avoided meeting his gaze.

"Molly, I am truly truly sorry for being an ass. I insulted your friendship with Mary and didn't listen to you about not eavesdropping" he told her.

Tentatively she looked up into his eyes. The sight that greeted her surprised her.

Sherlock looked truly repentant.

"It's ok Sherlock" Molly replied.

"I think we need a cup of tea" Mary told them both.

"So, how did you get captured by my brother" Sherlock asked her later.

"I was beaten up by a gang and left for dead. While I was recovering, I thought it would be best to get help before it was too late. So I set about planning my own downfall. Instead of deleting all digital trace, I left a trail for them to find me" Mary told them.

"So you would be found easily" Sherlock surmised.

"Yes" Mary replied.

"Why?" Sherlock replied.

"Because sometimes Sherlock Holmes, you get tired of running." she told him.

"Talk to me again in two years time and tell me if you still believe this to be the case" Mary told him.

"Wait, why did you say two years?" Molly asked her.

"Because Molly, it will take two years to fully dismantle Jim Moriarty's network" Sherlock interjected before Mary could reply.


	5. One Queen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He has been lying to himself for a very long time.

“What!” Molly exclaimed.

“Sherlock has to leave you soon. He has to try and dismantle Moriarty’s network. But he needs my help. Isn’t that right Mr. Holmes.” She asked him.  
“Yes. I am sorry my brother had to drag you into this Mary” Sherlock replied sincerely.  
“Don’t be silly. That’s what I’m here for.” She told him with a smile.   
At that moment, Molly’s phone rang.   
“Ugh, I have to take this. It’s the lab” Molly told them both before going down to her room to take the call.  
“No, you’re not just here for that. You have been more of a friend to Molly than I ever was.” He told her.  
“She loves you, you know.” Mary told him matter of factly.  
“I have observed that.” He replied flippantly.  
“No, I mean she really loves you. She knows Sherlock. She knows how you manipulate her, she should hate you and push you away but she doesn’t. She hated having to help you fake your own death even if it broke her heart to do it” Mary told him.  
“She is an extraordinary woman. She is equal to John in my mind, if not more. Her friendship means a lot to me” Sherlock told her.  
“So you love her” Mary replied.  
“Love is such a complex concept in the pantheon of human emotion. I don’t understand it, I probably never will.One thing I do know for certain is I cannot say those words to Molly” he responded.

“Can you say that you love her to me?” Mary ventured.  
Sherlock shook his head.  
“Why?” Mary said aghast.  
“To admit that out loud would constitute a promise. A promise that I cannot keep. Not with her.” He replied.  
“So you don’t love her. not really.” Mary stated.  
Sherlock was taken aback by this. He found anger light up in an instant however he quickly doused that flame when he noted Mary’s genuine interest in her face. His features softened.  
“No, I cannot say that phrase to her. I have this feeling inside that if I admit to it, I will loose control of myself. For now I am willing to say that I feel a deep affection for her.” He replied.  
“Well that’ s something I guess.” She replied with a chuckle. “But Sherlock, she won’t wait forever for you.” She added.  
“I hope she doesn’t, she deserves better than me.” He replied solemnly.  
She reached over and held his hand sympathetically.  
“What about you?” Mary asked.  
“Oh I’ll be fine.” He replied with a small smirk.   
“What do you mean?” Mary replied.  
“Let’s just say that in the palace of the mind there is only one queen.” He replied with a sad smile.  
“But what about the Woman?” Mary asked.  
He smirked.  
“She only turns up when my thoughts go carnal” he replied.  
“Ok, too much information.” Mary replied with a chuckle.  
Sherlock smiled.  
They were joined a few moments later by Molly.  
“Ugh, that was work. Anderson apparently left a ton of paperwork on my desk to fill in. I’ll have to go in and fix this. We’ll talk about the other thing later ok” she told them.  
The two of them nodded.   
“We can come with you if you like” Mary offered.  
“No, it’s ok. I can manage” Molly replied.  
“We really don’t mind” Sherlock told her.  
Molly sighed.  
“Ok you two, come on then” she told them.  
Molly’s mobile rang again.  
“Hello Mike, Mike slow down. What? He’s doing what. Oh. We’ll be right there” Molly said hanging up the phone.  
“What’s wrong?” Mary asked.  
“Anderson is holding the pathology lab hostage.” Molly replied.  
They hurried out the door.  
The pathology lab was buzzing when they arrived.  
“Thanks for coming you three” Mike Stamford greeted them.  
“No problem Stamford. What’s wrong now?” Mary replied with a sigh.  
“Well, I think I that he’s finally lost the plot to be honest. He has gotten it into his head that Dr. Bell here is Sherlock Holmes. Says that he spotted Mycroft Holmes his brother leaving the pathology lab and seeing that Arthur is the most recent person to be employed here, he’s become fixated.” Stamford told him.  
“That’s ridiculous” Sherlock replied.  
Mary and Molly both looked at him. He was taking it rather well. He could pull off the deception.  
It took an hour to finally convince Anderson that Sherlock was not Sherlock but Arthur. After that, Anderson was escorted out of the building by security.  
A bit later, Sherlock, Molly and Mary found themselves in a chipper. They chatted about what had in fact transpired before moving back to the flat. Mary said her good nights and went home leaving Sherlock and Molly alone.  
“So, you’re leaving” Molly said.  
“Yes” Sherlock replied.  
“When?” Molly asked him.  
“As soon as Mary has found out the information about Moriarty’s network, she is going to be coming over tomorrow” Sherlock told her.  
“Oh, ok I guess” she replied.  
“I’m not going straight away. You have a few more days to tolerate me” he told her with a chuckle.  
She smiled.  
“That’s good. I don’t want to come home and suddenly find that you’re gone” Molly told him.  
“Not a chance” he replied with a smile.  
“Please at least say goodbye, I might never see you again.Goodnight Sherlock” She told him.  
He looked at her in disbelief and watched as she walked away from him. A few moments later, he heard the shower start. He made his way to her room settled in her bed to think for a bit.  
He had to admit that he liked this new dynamic that the two of them had now. No longer could he take her for granted and use her to get body parts. Just as she saw the human side of him in the pathology lab the night before he jumped, he now had gained a new understanding of his pathologist.  
HIS…pathologist, there it was again. He was trying to make her out to be some type of possession. She wasn’t, she was far more than that.   
She was Molly Hooper. The Molly Hooper who who he had used several times for to procure body parts. The same Molly Hooper who helped him fake his own death and was now letting him stay in her flat, hell he’s even been sleeping in her bed while she took the spare room. She did this without any reservations. Maybe he did love her, if that was the case though, she could never be made believe it. He couldn’t risk it, it was too dangerous as it was. Those feelings would only lead to heartache, she could get hurt because of him. He couldn’t chance it.  
As much as he looked forward to starting to make a dent in Moriarty’s network, at the same time he felt a pang of sadness at the prospect of saying goodbye to her. He had spent the time with her after everything that happened, he hoped that wherever he found himself in the future he would stay safe enough to come back to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first couple of chapters were written before season 3 aired. Since then I had terrible writer's block with this story. Thankfully with the events of series 4 I return to this story with a renewed vigour.


End file.
